Bob Welbaum: NFFC Honors Two Tokyo Disneyland Legends
Page 1 of 2
Dennis Tanida reads the NFFC citation as Toshio Kagami listens to his
interpreter
One highlight of any NFFC Convention is the Luncheon with a Legend, where the contributions of key Disney people are recognized. That idea was carried across the Pacific Ocean for the recent NFFC visit to Tokyo, Japan for Tokyo Disneyland�s 25th Anniversary celebration.
These newest NFFC Disney Legends are Masatomo Takahashi and Toshio Kagami.
It was Masatomo Takahashi�s dream that a world-class Disney attraction be built in Tokyo. And this was not to be an Asian version of Disneyland, but a park that reflected the American original. It was as President/Representative Director of the real estate development firm Oriental Land Company that he first approached Walt Disney Productions with this dream. Takahashi diligently guided the development of the multi-million dollar theme park to its opening in 1983. Beginning in the late 1990s as Chairman of the Oriental Land Company, Takahashi expanded his vision to include a second theme park, Tokyo DisneySea. Sadly, he did not live to see this part of his dream come true. Takahashi passed away on January 21, 2000, before Tokyo DisneySea opened in 2001.
Toshio Kagami joined the Oriental Land Company in October, 1972 as Deputy Director, Real Estate Division. He has since held several prominent positions in the company and assumed his current position, Representative Director, Chairman & CEO in June, 2005. Kagami also heads Disney Store Japan, a subsidiary of Oriental Land Company.
NFFC Disney Legend Toshio Kagami
The ceremony took place in the Oceano restaurant in the Miracosta Hotel on April 16, 2008. The ceremony was conducted by Disney Imagineer and long-time NFFC member Dennis Tanida. The following is a transcript of the ceremony�s prepared remarks.
Dennis Tanida: Walt Disney once said �You can dream, create, design and build the most wonderful place in the world, but it requires people to make that dream a reality.� At that time, he was talking about Disneyland. But the spirit of his observation is just as true of the animated short subjects and features, live action, television programs, theatrical productions, cruise ships, and other theme parks that are all part of the Disney magic. In each case, the spark of an idea is brought to life by the inspired work of artists and craftspeople working together.
As Disney fans, we enjoy the results of these special collaborations every day. Whatever Disney moments you hold most dear, there is a specific person or team that has made them happen. With that in mind, the club created the NFFC Disney Legend Award in 1993. The awards are first and foremost a way for the members to say �thank you� to the people who have created the magic and to let them know that their work is recognized and beloved. In addition, when the awards are presented, members often hear the recipients talk about their work and their careers. These conversations offer unique insights into Disney magic-making, and in many cases they offer revealing glimpses of Walt Disney himself.
The recipients are all chosen because they have made a significant contribution to the Disney legacies. But the nature of those contributions vary widely. Collectively, recipients have created beloved characters, given voices to princesses and a pair of legendary mice, they have brought tiki birds to life, costumed pirates, they have written Academy-award-winning songs and edited hundreds of hours of film into True-Life Adventures. The honorees include animators, Imagineers, voice talent, song writers, actors, executives, a photographer, and even a research economist. And their contributions span more than 80 years, from the early silent films produced by Walt Disney in Kansas City to the most recent films and theme-park attractions. To date, the NFFC has honored 86 people. Each has helped to create lasting memories for Disney fans and their work continues to delight new generations of Disney fans. It is work that has stood the test of time.
Honorees are nominated by their peers, by former recipients, and by members of the club. The award winners each year are selected by the club�s Legends Committee.
Today we are pleased and honored to present the NFFC Disney Legends Award to Takahashi-san and Kagami-san. Although not all of our members have been able to visit the Tokyo Disneyland Resort, those who have been here treasure that experience, and the rest dream of the day when they will be able to visit. In the past, we have honored Imagineers who were part of the design and construction of the resort. But this is the first time we will have been able to recognize the people who wanted to bring the Disney magic to Japan and who have made the resort so successful. Its success helps us to understand that Disney magic is universal. It transcends boundaries, languages and time. To fall under its spell requires only that we believe dreams do come true and that there are truly happy endings. To the remarkable contributions to the Tokyo Disneyland Resort, Takahashi-san and Kagami-san have made many dreams come true for Disney fans throughout Japan and from around the world. Today we are honored to add their names to the list of distinguished NFFC Disney Legends.